Doxy doesn't work in India !??!?!?!?

pix · Nov 19th, 2005, 18:45

I went to the GP to ask about travel shots/ anti malarials ect and mentioned that I was thinking of taking doxy, as i have taken it before and had no ill side effects. BUT then the doctor told me that Doxy shouldn't be used in India.

I don't think she was trying to push a certain brand as this was the local GP and they dont even stock anti-malarials. So I would have to go else where for them.

This advice is different to everything I had read on the net and heard from other travellers. Has anyone heard this before ? I have made an appointment at a travel clinic to get advice from a travel doc... Just curious what people here have been told???

john.sw · Nov 19th, 2005, 18:57

Chloroquine plus proguanil, along with avoiding mosquito bites, is the recommended regimen for travellers to to India, except in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and Assam, where chloroquine resistance is high.

In this area, mefloquine or doxycycline or Malarone are the recommended medicines.

cyberhippie · Nov 19th, 2005, 19:50

Sounds like an uniformed GP. Did he\she give any reason why Doxy shouldn't be used???

pix · Nov 19th, 2005, 22:01

cyber, she didnt give any reason...really I should have asked why. But i kind of assumed she was saying the mozzies in India are resistant to doxy...

cyberhippie · Nov 19th, 2005, 22:33

It's a fluid situation of course but I've certainly seen nothing to suggest, that the parasite has become resistant to doxy.
I think in general European doctors follow WHO guidelines so maybe we should go and see if their policy has changed lately!!

My feelings are the doc has got this wrong but as an amateur I'm loath to dismiss this out of hand, especially as I'm recommending Doxy to my parents as an anti malarial!!

Anyone else out there, with recent experiences to relate???

Sama · Nov 19th, 2005, 22:36

In my experience, and in my friends' (who are India travelers) experiences, GPs usually know little about travel medicine. Before my trip, I researched the CDC and WHO websites, knew exactly what shots I needed, knew what malaria med I wanted to take, went to my GP with all my info, showed him the pages from the CDC website I brought with me, and he STILL looked confused. He said, let me check the CDC website and leaves the room .... DUH!

He returned and said, you need XY&Z (which was exactly what I had told him in the first place) ..... Me:

He said, here's a 'scrip for Larium, I said, don't want Larium, want Malarone, don't want weird dreams and psychosis, doc.... Dr.:

Me: look it up... so he pulls out his palm pilot thingamajig to look up med names and lo and behold...Dr. says, you're right.... Me:

cyberhippie · Nov 19th, 2005, 23:10

Absolutely Yogagal. Based on my expereince her on IM I've advised my mum & dad to be a little proactive in their dealings with their GP.

Family doctors are of course professionals but sometimes lack the necessary expereince in tropical medicine, to give you the best advice available.

Be aware and present your views in the same way as Yogagal and together I'm sure you and your doctor will thrash out a health plan suitable for all!!

Sama · Nov 19th, 2005, 23:27

I am sure he re-checked the CDC website while I was there for liability purposes. Doctors are sued here left and right, so he was just covering his....

but I am usually very pro-active (well-informed) anyway in my medical care...I used to work for medical malpractice attorneys....makes one a bit more questioning.....

mercedes10 · Nov 20th, 2005, 00:20

I've just been prescribed doxy for my trip to India. Went to see a travel doctor at local travel clinic. They seemed well informed!

pix · Nov 21st, 2005, 17:10

I suspect when I go to the travel doc this week and ask about doxy i wont have a problem. I suspect it is just an uniformed GP !

dessy · Nov 21st, 2005, 17:50

I saw my GP last week who looked up some medical internal website and prescribed me with Chloroquine plus proguanil.

LuAnnandJawahar · Nov 21st, 2005, 19:52

IAMAT has a very detailed and current information brochure about exactly what anti-malarials should be used in every part of the world. It is printed yearly. You can get it free, though a donation is certainly warranted. And yes Doxy IS an option for India.
The website is www.iamat.org

goangoangone · Nov 21st, 2005, 19:59

The US recommend Doxy and say C&P as recommended in the UK, are not effective in India. As previously mentioned, it is also my experience that doctors do not always know about these things. At my surgery the nurse told me to go to Boots(large UK chemist) and enquire. Doxy has been used long term to treat acne without major side effects. The main side effect is skin sensitivity to the sun.

cyberhippie · Nov 21st, 2005, 20:16

Just to give the above statement a bit of perspective, it's most of Europe the WHO Australia and I think New Zealand that recommends the use of the Chlorquinine/Proguanil combination.

The difference isn't so much based on whether it's effective or not, there is a slight difference in failure rate between C & P and the other drugs nothing more

dessy · Nov 21st, 2005, 20:29

so, should one go with the reccomendation for the Chlorquinine/Proguanil combination.

Nov 19th, 2005, 18:45	#1
pix Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: london Posts: 61	Doxy doesn't work in India !??!?!?!? I went to the GP to ask about travel shots/ anti malarials ect and mentioned that I was thinking of taking doxy, as i have taken it before and had no ill side effects. BUT then the doctor told me that Doxy shouldn't be used in India. I don't think she was trying to push a certain brand as this was the local GP and they dont even stock anti-malarials. So I would have to go else where for them. This advice is different to everything I had read on the net and heard from other travellers. Has anyone heard this before ? I have made an appointment at a travel clinic to get advice from a travel doc... Just curious what people here have been told??? __________________ ~~dance~~

Nov 19th, 2005, 18:57	#2
john.sw Up in the hills with my head in the clouds... Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: India/UK Posts: 1,019	Chloroquine plus proguanil, along with avoiding mosquito bites, is the recommended regimen for travellers to to India, except in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh and Assam, where chloroquine resistance is high. In this area, mefloquine or doxycycline or Malarone are the recommended medicines. __________________ www.nilgiris.asia your guide to the Nilgiris, Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Gudalur

Nov 19th, 2005, 22:36	#6
Sama a pain in the asana Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: the India inside my heart Posts: 5,349	In my experience, and in my friends' (who are India travelers) experiences, GPs usually know little about travel medicine. Before my trip, I researched the CDC and WHO websites, knew exactly what shots I needed, knew what malaria med I wanted to take, went to my GP with all my info, showed him the pages from the CDC website I brought with me, and he STILL looked confused. He said, let me check the CDC website and leaves the room .... DUH! He returned and said, you need XY&Z (which was exactly what I had told him in the first place) ..... Me: He said, here's a 'scrip for Larium, I said, don't want Larium, want Malarone, don't want weird dreams and psychosis, doc.... Dr.: Me: look it up... so he pulls out his palm pilot thingamajig to look up med names and lo and behold...Dr. says, you're right.... Me: __________________ *My India, 2005-2008* BE THE REVOLUTION

Nov 21st, 2005, 19:52	#12
LuAnnandJawahar Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Delhi/U.S. Posts: 663	IAMAT has a very detailed and current information brochure about exactly what anti-malarials should be used in every part of the world. It is printed yearly. You can get it free, though a donation is certainly warranted. And yes Doxy IS an option for India. The website is www.iamat.org __________________ Reject violence.

Nov 21st, 2005, 19:59	#13
goangoangone Monsoon Loon Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Goa Posts: 1,496	The US recommend Doxy and say C&P as recommended in the UK, are not effective in India. As previously mentioned, it is also my experience that doctors do not always know about these things. At my surgery the nurse told me to go to Boots(large UK chemist) and enquire. Doxy has been used long term to treat acne without major side effects. The main side effect is skin sensitivity to the sun. __________________ GoanGoan......here

Nov 19th, 2005, 19:50	#3
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Sounds like an uniformed GP. Did he\she give any reason why Doxy shouldn't be used???

Nov 19th, 2005, 22:01	#4
pix Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: london Posts: 61	cyber, she didnt give any reason...really I should have asked why. But i kind of assumed she was saying the mozzies in India are resistant to doxy...

Nov 19th, 2005, 22:33	#5
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	It's a fluid situation of course but I've certainly seen nothing to suggest, that the parasite has become resistant to doxy. I think in general European doctors follow WHO guidelines so maybe we should go and see if their policy has changed lately!! My feelings are the doc has got this wrong but as an amateur I'm loath to dismiss this out of hand, especially as I'm recommending Doxy to my parents as an anti malarial!! Anyone else out there, with recent experiences to relate???

Nov 19th, 2005, 23:10	#7
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Absolutely Yogagal. Based on my expereince her on IM I've advised my mum & dad to be a little proactive in their dealings with their GP. Family doctors are of course professionals but sometimes lack the necessary expereince in tropical medicine, to give you the best advice available. Be aware and present your views in the same way as Yogagal and together I'm sure you and your doctor will thrash out a health plan suitable for all!!

Nov 19th, 2005, 23:27	#8
Sama a pain in the asana Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: the India inside my heart Posts: 5,349	I am sure he re-checked the CDC website while I was there for liability purposes. Doctors are sued here left and right, so he was just covering his.... but I am usually very pro-active (well-informed) anyway in my medical care...I used to work for medical malpractice attorneys....makes one a bit more questioning.....

Nov 20th, 2005, 00:20	#9
mercedes10 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 556	I've just been prescribed doxy for my trip to India. Went to see a travel doctor at local travel clinic. They seemed well informed!

Nov 21st, 2005, 17:10	#10
pix Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: london Posts: 61	I suspect when I go to the travel doc this week and ask about doxy i wont have a problem. I suspect it is just an uniformed GP !

Nov 21st, 2005, 17:50	#11
dessy Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 81	I saw my GP last week who looked up some medical internal website and prescribed me with Chloroquine plus proguanil.

Nov 21st, 2005, 20:16	#14
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Just to give the above statement a bit of perspective, it's most of Europe the WHO Australia and I think New Zealand that recommends the use of the Chlorquinine/Proguanil combination. The difference isn't so much based on whether it's effective or not, there is a slight difference in failure rate between C & P and the other drugs nothing more

Nov 21st, 2005, 20:29	#15
dessy Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 81	so, should one go with the reccomendation for the Chlorquinine/Proguanil combination.

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